PPC calls Siquijodnons to sign up vs. RH bill

*Flock split on their stand

Siquijor Province, March 23 (PIA)-- The Parish Pastoral Councils of all Parishes of the Vicariate of Saint Paul this province called on Siquijodnons young and old to go up against the controversial House Bill No. 5043 known as the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008 pending at the House of Representatives through signing up in the signature campaign that is  transmitted provincewide.

The signature campaign walks through corners and streets in the province, infiltrating schools in the secondary and tertiary levels. Anyone could affix his or her name and signature on the paper to support the campaign against the bill.

Earlier, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) reiterated its position on the reproductive health bill stressing that its provisions are anti-family and anti-life. 

 “RH bill is against the teachings of the Catholic Church “especially protecting life in abortion” and people have been told of the involved issues”, the CBCP stated.

One student in a private highs school in Larena expressed belief that the campaign is a good step in promoting the true value of human life. “I strongly condemn the HB No. 5043 since it does not respect the lives of innocent individuals”, she said.

Another student, though, conveyed her approval of the house bill. “Our country is now overpopulated and because of that the government can no longer respond to all people’s needs”, she explained.

Still another student was asked what his stand on the campaign is. He answered, “It is not a way of promoting culture of death because the lesser the number of people, the greater the opportunity for them to have the chances of living and survival. If people are hungry, they think doing immoral acts to heal that hunger is justified”.

One student amusingly finds himself in middle-of-the-road between the church and the house bill. He said that if he’ll affix his signature, he’s “impractical”. Not signing would also mean to him defying the church orders.

Ironically, a teacher in a Catholic school asserted his disapproval on the Church’s position.

“Although I respect the Catholic Church’s stand on this, what I am greatly afraid of is the uncontrolled population growth of the Philippines and how it could blow up in our faces one of these days. Passing by a squatter’s relocation area a few months ago in Cebu I saw a lot of unemployed people doing nothing the whole day but play cards and gamble. Not to mention having about 8 kids in their family. What I see here is a failure in “responsibility”, people always looking at the government to solve all their problems, rather than to take it unto themselves”, he said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the proponents of the measure in the lower House said the enactment of the RH bill is long overdue, especially since the country's population has ballooned to more than 90 million.

Speaking at a recent press forum, Lagman said the main agenda of the bill is to promote informed choice on family planning, especially among women.

He said the bill is not about sex or religion but about health, women's rights, and sustainable development.

Lagman denied the bill is about pills and condoms; rather, he said it covers health concerns such as breastfeeding and preventing sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV-AIDS.

He said the Catholic Church can continue its mission to save the souls of people, but it should let the State be with its policy on saving the lives of people, especially women and infants.

Lagman said the Philippines is now the 12th most populous country in the world, but is 105th in terms human development. One of the major causes of poverty, he said, is its huge population.

One with Lagman’s position, a retired government employee in Lazi said “It’s not surprising if the uncontrolled population growth will all lead to unrest and wars down the road, because of the fight for the limited resources. There’s nothing wrong with the RH bill because it is beneficial”.

Reports have it that pharmaceutical companies are allegedly behind the push for the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in Congress and that these companies, which sell pills and other contraceptives, are promoting big business interests.

Asked for his comment about this report a drugstore owner in Larena opined: Pharmaceuticals should not be blamed. At the end of the day, it’s the people, especially those who are already educated, who will decide for themselves. People nowadays can’t be dictated, whether by law or the church”.

Also commented one respondent: “children do not make us poor rather poverty is caused by many more crucial factors like lack of education, lack of opportunities, lack of drive, lack of discipline, lack of inheritance, even lack of luck. But one thing is sure; lack of children will not make us rich.”

This was what another church-sided respondent said: “We are really at the end of time era. These are all Satan’s work. We should be aware of how he works. As he said “I Pretend to love men, in order to destroy them; serve them, in order to ruin them and deceive them; help them, in order to pervert them and draw them into my hellish regions.” (PIA7-Siquijor/from the reports of Richard Aresgado & Eda Lou Tangapa-Manigo)

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Feature: Duran does a good run

By Rizalie Anding Calibo

Siquijor Province, March 23 (PIA)--It is a good run indeed for Alejandro “Butch” Duran, the maker of Siquijor’s best banana products.

Starting with a capital outlay of P2,000 in1999 and with a mere 30 kilos of  banana crackers daily production, which he sold locally in the province, Duran’s business is now fast booming reaching nearby provinces in the region.

Duran is now producing an average of 120 kilos, two to three times a week to meet outside orders from Bohol, Dumaguete, and Bacolod.

This gives him an average gross sales of some P288,000 a month, sufficient enough to allow him to expand his business and even put up capital for another line of business aside from his banana products.

From his original (and recently unsweetened) banana crackers, Duran is now selling other tasty banana sticks in garlic and cheese flavors and will soon go into product diversification such as banana brittles and  polvoron.

To keep with the increasing sales and orders, Duran ably hired 10 workers from what used to be a husband-and-wife endeavor.

All these he owed to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Duran claimed. But for DOST Provincial Director Mario de la Peña, the main ingredients for SMEs  to succeed are the positive attitude and their commitment to the project coupled with good linkages with the government sector. These, he confirms, Duran have.

In 2005, Duran was one of the DOST’s SETUP  (Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program) beneficiaries of which a total of P863,000 in project fund was released to all beneficiaries for  equipment acquisition: Vacuum sealer, mechanized banana sticks cutter, banana chips cutter, stainless tables, basins, trays and a digital thermometer, for Duran that upgrade his processing capability.

 Laboratory analysis, shelf-life testing, trainings and consultancy services were also some of the technical assistance he and other beneficiaries enjoyed.

To cite the local DOST has initiated the development of packaging and labeling design of Siquijor products which were showcased in the yearly  Halad Siquijodnon Trade Fair and Exhibits that highlighted the Araw ng Siquijor celebration.

Going beyond Siquijor Island, Duran’s products were exposed to a number of national and international exhibits. He recalled having declined an order from a foreign buyer of 42,000 kilos of banana fritters a month during an International Food Expo in the Mall of Asia inManila. Too small working area, production equipment and supplies of raw materials were just a few of the major constraints, he said.

But this time around, Duran is aiming high. While thanking the DOST and other government line agencies, Duran said he would like to show them that he can penetrate markets abroad.

Now and still with DOST-SETUP, Duran, his wife and his 10 workers are undergoing a series of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP training), an advance training for  Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) which is a requirement for BFAD and leading to ISO.

On March 18, few days after the first advanced GMP training, a check of P72,500  is also released exclusively for the packaging following the P59,000 Grant-in-Aide project and P150,000 SET-UP all of DOST.

Duran has made the first, second or third runs and still willing to do more to get to the finish line.(RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor)